Finding X, Finding You
by eftela
Summary: Crime AU. Homicide Detective Atobe Keigo is leading an investigation of two separate but similar deaths. They don't have any lead for the first case, but they do have a witness for the second – Echizen Ryoma, quiet, shy, sweet but still a complete brat. Atobe is protective. And it's not just because Ryoma fits the profile of the victims just a little too well
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own PoT_

 _Pairing: Atobe Keigo X Echizen Ryoma_

 _Word Count: 420_

 _Warning: Death, blood, description of wounds._

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Chapter 1

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The body is exactly how Atobe expected it would be. Torn, bloody, and gruesome.

It was partially hidden behind a dumpster on the north side of the park. Lying in a heap, it was not unlike a rag doll carelessly thrown aside - used, dirty, and no longer fun to play with.

The body was male, 14-15 years old, baby-faced, still in its school uniform. Yamabuki Junior High if Atobe correctly identifies the gakuran. It was stained reddish-brown now – the uniform - because of all the blood drying on it, but there is a small patch on the left shoulder where the material managed to remain clean and stark white.

There is no obvious wound on the outside. There is a small trickle of blood running down the thumb of the right hand but aside from that, both hands appear to be untouched. The face and neck is the same. Flawless and pale, not a drop of blood nor a smudge of dirt. Even the hair is clean. A dark mop of silk that have now lost its luster and shine because of death.

It was sickening, seeing the clean, undamaged skin. Because Atobe knew, that underneath the bloodied clothes, the body would be littered with cuts, long and short, deep and shallow, smooth and ragged. The placing of the cuts would be haphazard, close and far in-between, but still studiously clinical, if not professional. They were made for no real purpose but to hurt and to bleed, slowly and methodically.

Atobe knew because that's what happened to the body they found just two months ago. Similar profile: male and young and beautiful, and thrown to the side of the road after seemingly put through in a meat shredder.

Atobe and his team don't have a lead yet. But they knew one thing.

That first body is not an accident. This one is not a coincidence. But a third body would definitely establish a pattern.

Atobe thinks that the pattern will be like a mathematical equation. Once they have all the values of the variables, they'd be able to solve the problem. Right now, they have the values of y and z, but the x is still missing.

He's never been a math genius but Atobe thinks he'll be able to find the missing x just fine. Hopefully he'll manage to do it before a third body show up. Atobe would really hate to see a pattern just to be able to solve a case. That would be just tacky.

...


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do NOT own PoT_

 _Pairing: Atobe Keigo X Echizen Ryoma_

 _Word Count: 1, 925_

 _Warning: Blood, death._

 _Note: I have no knowledge of crime scene investigation. I did some research and what you read here are based on what I understood from the articles I've found online. There will be some embellishments and some things I made up. That said, all the mistakes that you can find are all me and mine alone._

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Chapter 2

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Atobe was expecting a student when Gakuto told him they have a witness. It was almost five in the evening and most schools have let out. Their crime scene is in the park which is conveniently situated within walking distance of the schools. It wasn't hard to draw the conclusion.

He was right. It was a student alright.

What he didn't expect is for it to be Ryoma Echizen. 15 years old, a student of Seishun Academy, member of the Tennis Club, and the only child of Atobe's quasi-mentor (back when Atobe was still in high school and was still playing tennis like his entire future depended on it) – Nanjiro Echizen.

Atobe knew Ryoma. Of course he did. Ryoma was Nanjiro's favorite topic of conversation aside from the-women-and-their-lovely-assets. Nanjiro was never shy to speak. He tells people everything regardless of whether they care to listen to him or not. And Atobe… well, he didn't exactly _care_. It's just that Nanjiro talk _at_ Atobe more than he teach him anything, and Atobe, in spite of himself, wanted to say that he learned something from the old man. And he did. Even if that something is how _Ryoma apparently still cannot sleep without his stupid cat Karupin even though he's already old enough to be sleeping around._ What.

Atobe had to clear his throat before he introduces himself.

"Homicide Detective Atobe Keigo. I'm the lead investigator here." He offered his hand. "Ryoma Echizen...is that right?"

Of course, Atobe's right. But he wanted to make sure. Despite knowing all kinds of personal things about him, Atobe had never really met the boy in person before. This is the first time and part of Atobe wishes that the circumstances were better, different.

Ryoma shook his hand, his grip firm but wary. There's no recognition in his eyes when he glanced up at Atobe, which surprisingly, made Atobe's chest tighten with disappointment. He wasn't hoping for the boy to know him by face – he's been absent from the tennis world long enough that Atobe himself can't even remember the last time he did an interview or a photoshoot for his face to be plastered in any recent sports magazines (and apparently, that's the only reading material Ryoma reads aside from his school books) – but he's hoping that his name would at least trigger something. Ryoma's father must have mentioned him at least once, right?

When the boy continued to watch him, still wary, hand still within Atobe's grasp, Atobe finally relented. He let go and tried not to let his disappointment show. Maybe Nanjiro did not, in fact, mentioned him.

Or maybe the boy is just too shaken to remember anything that have ever come out of his father's mouth – what's with him apparently witnessing a murder.

That brought Atobe up short. He focused his attention to the notepad he held in his left hand. It was Ryoma's statement, taken down by Akutagawa who was one of the first officers on the scene. Atobe was vaguely impressed by the complete sentences he reads on the paper once he managed to decode the chicken scratch.

Atobe frowned. Witness, huh? Perhaps that's too generous a word to describe Ryoma in relation to the crime. He didn't witness the murder, but he did see the body getting dumped.

He turned back to Ryoma.

"This is your statement," Atobe said, holding up the pad. "I've already read through it but I would still like to hear it from you, if you don't mind. And if you could remember anything else that you might have missed earlier…"

Ryoma's voice was quiet and subdued when he talked. He's looking up at Atobe at first, maintaining eye contact for a few seconds but afterward, he lowered his eyes, staring unseeingly at Atobe's chest.

There's an emptiness in the way he tells his story, like he's reciting something he'd memorized, or something he'd already told a millions times before and so he couldn't be bothered to inject emotion or even a bit of inflection into the words anymore.

It was a bit disconcerting, given the context.

But Atobe was willing to cut him some slack. From what Nanjiro have said about his son – quiet and grumpy (and pretentiously stoic) – Atobe knew that the blank expression he's getting from the boy is just him drawing in on himself due to the horror of what he'd seen.

Ryoma's story matched what's on the paper.

School let out early, no tennis practice since it's Tuesday (Atobe made a note to check this with the school) and no after-school duty either, Ryoma had nothing better to do but to head out to the street tennis courts and hope to find someone to play a match with. He's taking a short cut and was cutting through the North part of the park to get to the courts across the street when an SUV pulled up, dumped the body, and drove away.

What happened was pretty straight-forward up until that point. The next set of events, however…

A tremor entered Ryoma's voice as he described how he tried to help, thinking maybe the boy was just unconscious, how he tried to feel for a pulse and looked for injuries. Atobe can see Ryoma's fingers, now twisting together in agitation. They're painted pink, a bit of blood crusting under his nails. Ryoma took a deep breath, his voice going steady again as he told Atobe how he called 119 and asked for an ambulance. But even in the middle of the call, he knew it would be useless. The boy was dead. The dispatch sent an ambulance anyway and about half the city's police force to the scene.

By the end of the sentence, Ryoma's expression was blank again. His fingers are still twisted together, his knuckles white, but aside from that, there's no other indicator that he's even affected by today's event. The boy even managed to meet Atobe's eyes again. That, more than anything, is what made Atobe stopped from reaching a comforting hand to the boy's shoulder.

He nodded. He looked down at the pad again, flipped to the next blank page and fished his pen from his breast pocket.

Atobe asked the standard questions. Akutagawa already did, but cross-checking goes a long way to verifying information – relevant or not.

He asked Ryoma to describe the car, if he remembers the plate number or any distinguishing mark on the vehicle.

Atobe supposed he shouldn't have been surprised at the details Ryoma gave him. He knew the boy is a good tennis player, one of the best in his generation even. He was used to seeing fast-moving objects and the van was paused in the sidewalk for the few seconds it took for the body to be thrown out into the dumpster – or behind the dumpster.

Ryoma described the vehicle just fine. Unfortunately, he might as well be describing the hundred other vehicles just within the city proper alone. The description is detailed but in a general sense, windows tinted, no distinguishable marks, no plate number. Even the patterns on the tires are pretty standard.

Ryoma said he saw a pair of arms when the body was thrown out. But there's no mark on the arms as well and the only impression that Ryoma got was that the arms are muscular, clearly belonging to a man. Again, that information is too general. Atobe tried not to let it sour his mood.

He moved to the next questions, asking if there was anyone else around, if any other vehicle passed by before, during, and after the SUV was there, if he heard any sound. Ryoma answered in the negative to all of them.

Until Atobe asked – almost as an after thought – if Ryoma recognized the body.

The boy startled like he hadn't expected the question, like he hadn't even thought about it. His eyes grew wide, breathe suddenly coming in short, sharp gasps as he stared at his wringing hands. Finally, he looked up at Atobe, pale and anxious.

"S-Sugara Keiji."

Atobe paused. He's not sure why but he thinks it's bad news that Ryoma apparently knew the boy, not enough to recognized the body, but enough to remember his name.

"Tell me about him," Atobe flipped to another blank page, pen paused over the sheet as he waits for Ryoma to gather his thoughts.

"I.. I don't really know him." Ryoma said, voice starting to have that small bit of tremor again. "I only saw him once before during the Regional Tournament. I played single against him during the prelims."

Atobe nodded, jotting the information down. It's not impossible. The Regionals have participants from all the schools within the Kanto Region and that included both Seigaku and Yamabuki. It could be nothing. It could be just a coincidence.

"That's good. That's okay," Atobe tried to give Ryoma a reassuring smile, to convey that he's grateful for any information. "Do you remember anything from your interaction with him? If he acted strange, afraid?"

Ryoma thought about it but eventually, he shook his head. "I don't think so. I'm sorry." He said to Atobe, wincing a bit and worrying his fingers again. "I only recognized him cause when I s-saw him earlier, I thought that his earrings were familiar. When you asked me, I suddenly remembered who he was – "

The sentence ended with a sob and this time, Atobe couldn't stop himself from reaching out, placing a hand on Ryoma's shoulder and squeezing, grounding him until he can take a deep breathe and continue.

"I remembered his earrings sparkling in the sun whenever he would try to go for a long shot."

It was heart-breaking. Atobe don't usually feel anything but slight sympathy when he talks to witnesses. What they see are horrible and unnecessary, and it's not okay for them to see something like that. But the fact is that they did in the end, and that means valuable information for Atobe. He's sympathetic but he's grateful most of all.

With Ryoma though, Atobe is puzzled that he's not just feeling sympathetic. He feels protective, like he'd do anything just so the boy wouldn't see what he already saw. Atobe doesn't just feel grateful for the information and cooperation. He feels proud that Ryoma was being so brave and so good with handling the situation.

Atobe thinks it's because, despite only meeting Ryoma for the first time, he already knew him as a person thanks to all the stories and the insight to his son's life that Nanjiro have unwittingly shared with him.

Atobe squeezed his shoulder one last time, nodding reassuringly and thanking him for the information. It might be a bit impersonal but Atobe is on duty. He made a mental note to drop by the Echizen's house and check on Ryoma later. It would be a good time to catch up with Nanjiro, too. it's been months since the last time they saw each other. If he could wheedle a match out of the old man, then that's even better. He could use a work out and playing tennis has always relieved his stress.

Atobe waved Gakuto over, instructing him to drive Ryoma home. Before they leave, he gave Ryoma his card, deviating from his usual spiel and instead of telling him to call Atobe if he thinks of anything that might help the investigation along, he tells him instead to call if he needs anything. Anything at all. He ignores Gakuto's raised brow and watched as they drive away.

...

….

 _Atobe might seem a bit OOC to you, so I'd like it to be noted that in this fic, Atobe is already 23 years old. (Underage romance! Hell, yeah, I'm going there!) He's not OOC. He's just matured._


End file.
